Oil-well washer



C. PFEIFFER AND F. A. WASSON.

OIL WELL WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I920.

1 ,375, 1 U6. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

WITNESSES ,E '15 ATTORNEY UNITED sTA Es PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES PFEIFFER AND FRANK A. WASSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

OIL-WELL wasnnn.

Application filed July 6, 1920. Serial No. 894,254.

To all whom it may concern:

in 11 many oil wells the flow of oil is prematurely stopped due to theclogging of-the Wall cavity by congealed paraflin, loose sand, asphaltand other detrital substances in the oil bearing sands surrounding thecavity. If this material can be dissolved and washed away the well mayagain be put on a production basis. It is the object of this inventionto provide an efficient well washing apparatus for washing the walls ofthe cavity to free the oil bearin sands surrounding the same, of congeaed material, sandand other detrital substances which prevent the flow ofoil.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatusembodyin the invention; Fi 2 is an enlar ed detal ectional view of eapparatus; ig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

In the drawings, the numeral 4 designates the well cavity and 5 thecasing leading from above ground to the cavity. Strata 6 of oil bearingsands and other strata 7 of shale, slate or rock surround the cavity 4.

, When the oil bearing sands adjacent the cavity become clogged withsand, paraflin, asphalt, etc., the flow of oil to the cavity is stoppedand to reestablish this flow we provide a'pump 8 at the lower end of atube 9, and a casing 10 surrounding the tube 9 and connected to the maincasing 5.

The pump 8 is a suction pum and is operated from above ground by t e umprod 11, the inlet end 12 of the ump eing disposed near the bottom 13 oft e cavity.

The casing 10 telescopes within the main casing 5 and projects into thecavity. A flushing nozzle 14 is formed on the lower end of this casingby means of the conical portion 15 having a flaring end and a conicaldeflector 16 mounted on a guide tube 1 7 which is slidably mounted onthe p1pe or tube 9. The size of the nozzle opemng may be varied byspacin the deflector 16 at different distances from the end 15. Thisadjustment is accomplished by connectors 18 carried by the tube 17 andhaving an adjustable connection with .the casing 10 by means of clampingbolts 19 and slots 20. The casing 10 is moved up or down on the pumptube so as to raise or lower the nozzle by means of cables 21 secured tothe upper end of said casing and passing up through the casing 5 to apoint above ground.

The operation of washing the well with the above apparatus is asfollows: The wash water, preferably hot water, is dropped through theconduit formed between the easings 5 and 10 and the tube 9 and issuesfrom the nozzle 14 under considerable pressure due to the head acquiredby its fall, and is sprayed against the wall of the cavity, penetratinthe sands and dissolving and. washing out the congealed parafiin,asphalt and loose sand around the cavity. The Water and loose materialdrains to the bottom of the cavity where it is sucked up by the pump 8and delivered through the tube 9 which conducts it out of the well. Thewash water may be sent down into the cavity by using a force pump butpressure created by its own drop from the ground level to the cavity is"sufficient and simpler, and is therefore preferred. The preferred methodof operation is to remove the wash water from the bottom of the well asfast as it collects therein with the result that the water pressure isnot permitted to increase the pressure existing in the cavity, and theforcing of the oil back into the sand is therefore prevented. By thisprocess of washing the full effect of the water spray against the wallsof the cavity is obtalned and the nozzle is not immersed at any time inthe wash water. By raising or lowering the casing 10 the nozzle is movedto different elevations in .the well cavity so as to spray the entirecavity. Thus, in washing a well, the pump is put into operation and thecasing with the nozzle at the upper or top of the cavit is gradually feddownwardly while t e spray washes the walls.

Where the volume of loose sand and other solid material to beraised'from the cavity is unusually largeair or other suitable fluid endof the tube 9 and above the I We desire it to be understood t at thismunder pressure may be applied to the solution above the ump to assistin forcin the sand and ot er solids, out of the wel For this purposecompressed air is con ducted through a, pipe 22 down to the lower ump.

vention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement of partsexcept In so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

What we claim as our. invention is:

1. In a well washing apparatus, the combination of a flushing nozzlemovable to different heights within the well cavity means for conductingwash liquid to said nozzle from a point above ground, a suction pipeextending into the cavity and forminga guide for said nozzle, and asuction pump connected with said pipe for removing the wash liquid fromthe cavity.

2; In a well washing apparatus, the combination with a conduit, of aconduit having telescoping engagement with said firstnected withsaidipipe and disposed in the well cavity.

4. In a well washing apparatus, the combination, with the well casing,of a conduit having telescoping engagement with said casing and providedw1th a flushing nozzle, means for raislngi and lowering the conduit tovary the position of the nozzle'in the well cavity, a suction pumpadjacent the bottom of the well cavity, and a delivery pipe from thepump extending through said 'conduit and casing to a point above ground.

5. In a well washing apparatus, the combination of a conduit having acontracted end, a guide tube centrally supported in said end, adeflector mounted on said tube and cooperating with the end of saidconduit to form an annular flushing nozzle,- a suction pipe extendingfrom a position bove ground into the well cavity and upon which saidguide tube is mounted, and a pump in the well cavity connected, to saidipe.

bination of a conduit for conducting the washing liquid into the wellcavity, a flushing nozzle in the cavity connected to the lower end ofsaid conduit, a pump within the cavity, a delivery pipe connected to thepump, and means for introducing 1 fluid under pressure into the deliverythe pump. I

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES PFEIFFER. FRANK A. WASSON.

pipe above 6. In a well washing apparatus, t e com- I

